The Act of Malpractice

We go to the doctor's office for our appointment and we expect him/her to be on the up and up with new technologies and treatment methods. We most certainly would scream in agony if he/she came around the corner with a jar full of leeches (although supposedly some people still do this). I have a feeling that a majority of us would be off the table and out the door with or without a stitch of clothing on.

We call this malpractice--which Webster's defines as "a dereliction of professional duty or a failure to exercise an ordinary degree of professional skill...". Basically, not doing your job as it is expected of you, and therefore causing harm to others.

That doesn't apply to eductors, though, does it? I mean, no one's life is in danger or anything. Its only their future and livelihood. Wait a minute, is it that serious? Yes, it is. Failure to do your duty as an educator is malpractice. We have answered a high calling. Education is an ever-changing field and in order to be the best we can be, we must change and adapt with it. It is our duty to be up on the newest best practices and to actually attempt to implement them. If we know that students don't learn vocabulary in isolation, then its our duty to find something that will work. If we know that grammar is best taught in context, then we should incorporate writing workshop into our lessons and address the problems of our students that way.

This is our duty. Its what we are supposed to do--teach children. To do less is malpractice.